Forgotten Ruby
by Strife89
Summary: Relive your journey through Hoenn in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire! Can Brendan find a way to lift a curse on Hoenn as he travels to the Elite Four? Based on a Nuzlocke run through Ruby.
1. Move

**Memoirs of a Ruby**

A retelling of _Pokemon: Ruby Version_ by Strife89 (Michael Carr)

Inspired by land-walker's Nuzlocke of _Pokemon: Sapphire Version_

and Strife89's _Brendan Namron: Ace Attorney_.

Pokemon, its characters, settings and directly related material are the intellectual property of Game Freak and published by Nintendo.

This document is a fan work and is not to be sold, plagiarized, or otherwise misued in any shape, form, or fashion that would break copyright laws. Use cautious judgement.

**One - Move**

They say that there's a knot in your stomach whenever you move from one town to another. I would not be the first to say that it's true. When we got off the ship at Slateport Harbor, I was still feeling the effects of seasickness. Some muscular creatures moved all our boxes into a moving van with incredible speed, and before I knew it, I had to be ushered into the back of that same van. Mom gave me some medicine for my stomach before we departed, but alas she couldn't let me sit in the cabin.

We didn't own a car. In the front was just her and the van driver, while I slumped in the back, feeling only slightly better as the van noisily traveled over the terrain, trying to occupy myself for the half-hour ride.

Eventually, though, I heard and felt the van slow, then stop. I got up as the door opened, hopping out to greet my mom.

"We're here, honey! You feeling any better?" I nodded a little. "It must be tiring … riding in the back of the moving truck like that."

Some large, very muscular, bluish-looking creatures walked past me, taking a few boxes and pieces of furniture and lugging them into our new home with ease.

"Anyway, this is the place … Littleroot Town. What do you think?"

I took a look around. There were only a handful of mostly wooden buildings, scattered across an open area of grass. There was also a more modern-looking building, standing wide and somewhat tall by comparison. Surrounding the area were endless trees, save an opening to the northern end. All in all, it was absolutely nothing like Goldenrod City, even if it was just a small apartment ….

"I … I dunno, Mom. It's …."

"A little quaint, yes, but I think it'll be easy to live in. Oh, and you'll get your own room here, remember?"

"I … yeah, I remember."

"C'mon, let's take a look inside."

She made a beeline for the front door at once. I followed her closely.

"See?" she said. "There's even some extra furniture in here! Oh, no-no-no-no-no, set it there, Machoke, if you please …"

She was talking to one of the muscular creatures. _Machoke? That's an odd name._

"Those are the mover's Machokes. Aren't they so sweet, moving all our stuff in like this? They don't mind in the slightest!"

One of the Machokes flashed a thumbs-up at her. Probably to indicate agreement.

"So, let's see … This is the main area, so your room must be upstairs."

I looked at her, wondering what to look around at first.

"Why don't you check it out? I hear your father bought a little something to celebrate the move."

She gave an insistent smile. I nodded, and headed up the stairs.

My room was relatively plain. A wooden floor with a small rug across the middle. Tan-painted walls. A clock, a single photo of the family from years ago, my old TV and Gamecube …

Something in the far corner caught my eye. Another TV-like device on a desk, as well as an open notebook; with a black box underneath. It was a computer. Walking over, I peered at the notebook, finding my dad's familiar scribbles that he called his handwriting.

_Hey, son. Congrats on you and your mom moving in! I hope you like the computer._

_ I'll visit you both very soon. I promise._

My heart sank a little. "Don't make promises you don't intend to keep," I muttered.

"What was that?" Mom was peering into the room. Somehow she climbed the stairs without me noticing.

"Oh, uh, I was …. er ..."

"Thinking aloud, honey?"

I frowned. "I miss him, Mom."

"That's part of why we moved here. So we could see him more."

"More? He _never _came to visit us in Johto."

"Sure he did! You don't remember?"

"I remember you saying he came to town because he had a case there, and that he'd show up. But he never did …"

My mom didn't know what to say. She stood there for a moment, looking thoughtful.

"Honey … Your dad has had some … busy times for the past few years. But it's the only way he's been able to make enough money to feed us. And now he's finally doing well enough that he could afford to move us to Hoenn, where we'll have more chances to see him!"

I was still too upset to reply. Mom got on one knee in front of me.

"Cheer up. You'll get a chance sooner than you think." She got back up, and started down the stairs. "Come downstairs when you're ready. I'll make you a sandwich."

"Thanks, Mom."

With that, she returned to the living room. The wooden clomping of her footsteps grew faint, and I turned to the computer to check it out. As it was starting up, I heard Mom's voice ring in through the staircase.

"Brendan! Hurry down, you need to see this!"

I bolted down the stairs at once. Mom was practically jumping in front of the living room TV, pointing at it and exclaiming:

"It's Petalburg Gym on the news! Maybe dad will be on!"

I hurried over, excited. An early chance to see how Dad looked after all this time …

The image on the TV cut to a reporter in a studio, holding a microphone. Any second now they'd show Dad … Surely …

"This report was brought to you live from in front of Petalburg Gym. Tune in tonight at five for more exciting Hoenn news."

Mom's face fell more than mine, if that was possible. "Oh … it's over …"

My head hung a little. I turned around and headed back to the stairs.

"He'll be on again, I'm sure of it!"

I looked at her questioningly.

"They probably do reports on him all the time. Petalburg isn't that far from here."

For a moment, I stared blankly.

"Oh, I just remembered! One of his friends lives here. He says that he's told him a lot about you. Professor Birch, I believe. … Tell you what. Why don't you go over and say hello? I'm sure he'd like to meet you in person."

"... Okay," I finally answered. "Where is his house?"

"Right next door, actually. Head to your left when you step out."

"... Alright. See you later, Mom."

"Have fun!" She grinned enthusiastically as I stepped out the door.

Lily Namron sat back in her chair as her son stepped outside, trying to relax a little. The move, while made easier with the aid of the mover's team, was stressful on her. She had no doubt that her son was feeling the same way. Change was tough; she knew all too well. She wanted to try her hardest to make it easier on her son, but it was definitely harder than she predicted.

She picked up a photo of her husband. Norman Namron. Brendan took after him in many ways, especially appearance. They shared the same flat, black hair; that same somewhat stern face; and the same justice-hunting, yet competitive nature.

She sighed. Norman had indeed not shown his face to his son when he visited them last year, in Goldenrod City. It was a bustling town in the Johto region with an opening to the sea. Its port wasn't as well-known as Olivine's, but the Radio Tower, Department Store, and Magnet Train ensured that there was never a shortage of visitors. She and Brendan lived in a small, single-room apartment.

Norman's last visit there involved him arriving at about one in the morning, though he gave Lily a good forewarning that he would be late. Brendan was already sound asleep at the time. They talked for a while, and before Lily knew it, Norman had to leave for court at seven in the morning, two hours before Brendan would awaken. They had not met in person since.

Lily wondered where Norman was. Probably training with his Pokemon at the Gym. Norman had two careers: he was a lawyer and a Gym Leader. The latter job was paid by the Pokemon League; his task was to test aspiring trainers and their team of Pokemon. If they passed, they were awarded a badge and allowed to move on to the next Gym Leader in a league of eight; a trainer that possessed all eight badges was allowed to challenge the Elite Four and the League Champion, for the right to the latter's title.

Norman's lawyer job was hectic at times, but usually other defense attorneys would take cases in his stead if they knew he had challengers at the gym. Once or twice a case required him to go overseas. In spite, however, of this hectic workload, Norman kept at it. Lily knew he did it for the family's welfare. His inability to visit was the price they had to pay; so when she and Brendan heard that he was paying for them to move to the Hoenn region, she was thrilled; Brendan, not quite so much.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, honey … Oh, thank Arceus for this ..."

"For what, Mom?"

"... We're going to move, honey. Your father is paying for us to move across the ocean to where he lives."

"Do we have to move?"

"... I would rather we do, honey. I think it's for the best."

Brendan was staring at the floor.

"What's wrong, honey? … You don't want to leave your friends behind, right?"

No response.

"Don't worry, okay? I can help you make new friends when we get there."

Brendan did not have the heart to tell her that he didn't have any friends.

I knocked the front door on Professor Birch's house, and was met with a chirpy "Come in!" from the other side. I opened it and stepped inside.

A cheery lady was looking at me from a table nearby. As I stepped all the way in, she got up from her chair and seemed to skip toward me.

"Why, hello there, young man! Who are you?"

"Er … Brendan. My name is Brendan, ma'am."

"Oh, are you our new neighbor? Norman told us that his family was moving in."

"Yes, ma'am. We moved in a little while ago."

"Well, you came just in time. I think May's still upstairs. Oh," she added, seeing my confused look, "she's our daughter. She was very excited about having a neighbor her age."

When I didn't move, save for gazing around the room, she ushered me toward the stairs.

The house's layout was exactly like my own, albeit mirrored. May's room reflected this (pardon the pun); for a moment I had to make sure that I was indeed in another house's. May even had a Gamecube.

She was sitting at a computer desk, scribbling on a piece of paper and murmuring to herself.

"Pokemon fully restored … Items all packed, and …"

She jumped slightly, looked at me. "Woah! Who … who are you?"

"S-Sorry … I didn't mean to startle you. It's just -"

"Wait … are you by chance our new neighbor?"

"I am. Name's Brendan."

"May. Good to meet you, Brendan! … Oh, I almost forgot …. Here's my best partner. He goes with me everywhere."

She pulled a small ball from a bag strapped to her hips. The ball looked like it had a belt, and was colored red on the top half, white on the bottom. She pressed a button in the middle of the ball, and a streak of light emerged from the button, gathering on the floor and molding itself into a shape, then fading away to reveal a small, blue creature on four legs. It was smiling at May, looking up like a toddler on the floor.

"Say hello to Mudkip, Brendan! He's been my partner for a few years now. Do you have one?"

I frowned. I had never owned a Pokemon in my life. "No. I don't."

Her smile dipped a little. "That's too bad … Pokemon are such wonderful creatures. I …."

She hesitated. "I have … this dream … of befriending Pokemon everywhere. And … well, and you. I've heard a lot about you from my dad."

A watch on her wrist started to beep softly. I glanced at the clock on the wall; it was 1:00 PM.

"Ehehehe … this is silly, isn't it. I mean, I just met you. And I need to hurry up and go … I promised my dad I'd help him catch some Pokemon!"

I didn't really know what to say, so I shrugged with a smile and simply said, "See you later, then?"

"Yeah," May nodded. "See you later, Brendan!"

And she dashed away, leaving me to ponder the introduction. I wandered back downstairs.

Mrs. Birch was chatting away on the phone as I hopped off the last stair. "Oh, I don't know. Probably doing his usual fieldwork … It drives me batty sometimes … And of all times! Brendan is visiting right now! … His lab? He could be anywhere, Sylvia ..."

I exited the house without a word, and walked over to the odd-building-out of Littleroot.

The inside definitely looked like a research lab, but there was hardly anyone in it. Books were lined across the walls (and the tables) and several computers had eye-boggling amounts of data on their screens. A single man in a lab coat was slowly marching around his own little corner, looking as though he was interrogating the book in his hand.

"Um … sir? Sir, would you happen to ..."

He had not budged his gaze in the slightest, lost in the book. I tried again.

"Sir? Professor? Sir! Please, I need to ask you something!"

No response whatsoever. Pouting, I turned around and exited the building.

"Hi there, honey! How was the town?"

"It's okay."

" … Just okay? Is anything wrong?"

" … No."

Mom paused. "Brendan, I'm serious. We can discuss anything you like."

" … I'm fine, Mom. Just a little tired, that's all."

"If you're sure. Your sandwich is on the table if you want it."

"... Thanks, Mom."

I took the sandwich, headed upstairs to my bed, and sighed as I laid down.

"I knew it would be like this."

Brendan's next day fared far better. May introduced herself and Mudkip proper, and talked about the town, while Brendan soaked up the information. She learned that he had never been a Pokemon Trainer, but it appealed to him. She showed him all she knew.

Professor Birch dropped by his house during the afternoon. He was ruffled by a near run-in with a vicious Poochyena, but he had escaped unscathed. A bit of a scatterbrain, Birch knew his material. He spent the week showing Brendan a few things about what he studied, and (with the aid of May) taught him a few things about being a Trainer for the day he eventually became one. Subjects like type advantages, growth, basic "moves", and the like had Brendan captivated for the entire lecture, and when it came time to return home for dinner, he never wanted to leave.

Lily was always glad to see Brendan returning home with a spring in his step, something she hadn't seen in years. The move, she decided, was indeed the best thing for the family.

But Brendan, even in all his newfound friendships and role as a pupil, had not forgotten the thing that had caused them to move in the first place.

He still had not seen his father.


	2. Rescue

**Two Months Later …**

Brendan had learned a considerable amount over the past few weeks. He hadn't had a chance to put any of the information to the test, but his mood had improved; and by extension, so did his mother's. Brendan often returned home at the end of a long day to find his mother either finishing up a heavenly-smelling dinner or looming over a set of papers, with such a dinner already made. She always smiled at her son when he came in, as did he to her. They would eat, talk, and watch TV (Brendan was constantly hoping to see another report at Petalburg Gym, though he never expressed this aloud). Afterwards, Brendan would often spend a little time on his computer, carrying out his own little research before winding down for the night.

When May wasn't hanging out with Brendan, she would often head north on Route 101 to Odale Town, and sometimes a little further to Route 103. Sometimes she came back with a new species, which she would always show to either Brendan or her father first, and the other second, whenever she got back. Often she would be lugging backs of groceries (with the help of her raccoon-like Zigzagoon) that she had obtained in Odale. She even started bringing food for the Namrons, who were grateful and started paying her tips for the trouble.

The professor, meanwhile, was almost always absent during the day, observing the wildlife in the area in an attempt to learn more about … whatever he was studying. Apparently, though, he would sometimes run into a close call with a wild Pokémon that was a little too territorial. He always managed to escape or fend it off, though, before it did any real harm.

"May … there's something I've been wondering about."

May and Brendan were walking from his house to hers, having just completed a study session.

"What is it, Brendan?"

"... Do you think I'm ready? To have my own Pokémon?"

May smiled. "Absolutely. Matter of fact, I've been meaning to ask my dad about getting you one."

"Will you? That would be great!"

She giggled. "No problem. I'll talk to him when he comes back tonight, or when we drag him back for dinner. We'll get you a special one!"

"A special one? Oh, nonono, I wouldn't mind teaming up with a Zigzagoon or a Wurmple, or a -"

"I insist. A special partner for a special trainer."

Brendan's head felt warm. "Thank you, May."

"No trouble, Brendan. See you tomorrow, okay? I need to gear up and check out Route 103 in a bit."

"Okay, see you later!"

After May closed the door, Brendan turned and headed back to his house, looking around for no reason other than to enjoy the sunny day. But something caught his eye.

A small child with glasses and a green shirt was standing near the northern exit. He looking like he was in complete panic, and in the distance, Brendan thought he could hear frantic screaming …

"Max!" Brendan yelled, rushing over. "What's wrong?"

"Brendan? Brendan! What should I do? What should we do? Somebody … Someone has to go help him … !"

"Him?"

"Him!"

Brendan stood for not a second longer. He ran past Max into the trail to Odale. The screaming got louder, then suddenly turned into cries of "Help me!"

Brendan's heart missed a beat. That was Professor Birch's voice; there was no question about it. Brendan dashed toward the place the voice came from –

"Brendan! Please! Help!"

Birch was dashing from the trees, fleeing a vicious dog with shaggy black fur as though his life depended on escape – and indeed it may have been, for the Poochyena was trying to bite Birch for all it was worth, mere inches from his heels.

"Help _how_?"

"Look – in -my – bag!" Birch was running out of breath. "Pokéball – !"

Sure enough, Professor Birch's bag was sitting not more than a foot away from his feet. He scrambled over, reached in, and pulled out a familiar red-and-white ball with a name scribbled on it. He knew what he had to do.

"Go, Torchic! Attack the Poochyena!"

Instead of pressing the button, as May did with her Mudkip, Brendan tossed the ball into the air – and the Pokémon was released on its own. The ball, as though a boomerang, flew back into Brendan's outstretched hand.

The Poochyena turned to face the Torchic, dropping its pursuit of Birch. Torchic chirped angrily at it.

Brendan stared at the little orange chick, trying to remember his studies. What did young Torchics respond to well in combat?

"Torchic, Scratch it!"

The tiny bird responded at once, leaping into the air at the opponent, scratching it mightily as she came down. The Poochyena reeled. It was obviously hurt.

Torchic lept back, trying to keep out of the way, but the Poochyena chased it, trying to counterattack. It only managed to Tackle the bird somewhat. Torchic shook it off.

"Once more! Scratch attack!"

Torchic's second verse was the same as the first. This time, the Poochyena was clearly in pain. It fled, not wanting to suffer another hit. Torchic gave it a warning yell as it did so.

She turned to Brendan, offering a smile. Brendan did likewise as Professor Birch came out of hiding from behind a tree stump.

"Brendan, that …. That was stupendous. She didn't second-guess you at all!"

"Just doing what had to be done, sir."

"Indeed. You saved me. You and Torchic there have my thanks."

"You're welcome, sir. … I guess it's back to work, then?"

"Oh, no no no. Come on, let's go to the lab. Hand me my bag, if you please."

"So, was that your first time with a Pokémon in battle?"

"Yes, sir. I have never owned a Pokémon."

"You could have fooled me. Your command of Torchic there was superb. You were like a master out there."

"Oh, I dunno … It wasn't _that _hard."

"Exactly! You're a natural! Like father, like son, I suppose. Tell you what! I've been thinking that it's time that you had your own Pokémon for a while, so … how would you like to keep her?"

Torchic suddenly chirped enthusiastically.

"Sir … y-you mean it?"

"I'll stake my career on it – you and Torchic would make a great team."

" …. Okay, sir. I'll take good care of her."

Torchic was practically dancing on the floor.

Birch smiled. "She seems pretty happy about it. Feel like giving her a nickname?"

Brendan pondered this for a moment. What sort of nickname would be good for a Torchic?

" … Hey, Torchic. How'd you like to be known as Lara?"

"Chic," Torchic chirped, nodding.

"I think she likes it," Birch said. "Lara it is.

(AN: Lara, in Russian, is a name meaning "protection".)

"I mean it, by the way – you two will make a darn good team. The more you work at it, the better."

"Yeah … just wait 'till we tell May!"

"May? … Oh, that's right! She's supposed to be on Route 103 doing research!"

"... Well, now that I have Lara here, maybe we should go see her."

"I agree. Get her to practice with you. I know she and her Mudkip will love it."

"Yeah. Let's go, Lara."

"Tor!" Lana chirped excitedly as they headed out.

Route 101 was calm, clear, and much shorter than Brendan had envisioned. Before he knew it, he had stumbled into Odale Town.

Odale was not much larger than Littleroot. Besides a handful of small, wooden homes, there were a couple of modern buildings, including a Pokémon Center for resting and medical services, and a Mart for the usual supplies. Brendan passed most of it by, too eager to meet up with May to worry about much else.

Route 103 consisted of more grass, although there was an inlet of water off to the eastern side. After ascending a small slope, Brendan found May, huddled near some trees and studying her notes.

"Pokémon on Route 103 … let's see, Mudkip, what have we found so fa- Brendan! What are you doing out here – and is that –?"

"Torchic! Tor!"

Brendan reacted bashfully. "Eheh … Well, Lara here saved your dad from a Poochyena, and …"

"Another Poochyena? Good grief, that dad of mine … he can't take two steps out there without seeing one of them. And how did you know about this so fast? Did you -"

"Yeah, I … I kinda led Lara in battle and then your dad gave her to me …"

"That's _wonderful_, Brendan! Dad doesn't just up and give a Pokémon to anyone, you know. Especially not one of his special three! He must know you're good!"

"Oh, c'mon, it's not like it's _that_ incredible, is it?"

"You better believe it is. … In fact, how about we battle? Right now. Mudkip versus Lara."

"... You know what? Sure. Our first battle against our first trainer!"

"Exactly. Your first taste of what training's really like. Let's go, shall we?"

"Yeah. C'mon, Lara! Scratch 'im!"

"Torch!" Lara lept high at the Mudkip, performing a neat claw attack with her talons."

"Make her nervous, Kipper," said May. Mudkip gave a sharp growl.

"Don't let him sway you, Lara. Keep at it."

Lara Scratched again. Mudkip tried to Tackle her as she bounded back to Brendan, but she was too fast. She scratched again. This time, though, Mudkip was ready. He slammed Lara against a nearby tree.

"Lara! Kick him off!"

"Chik!" Lara pushed Mudkip away with ease, leaping high to deliver another blow with her claws.

"You can do it, Kippers!" May called. "Show 'em we mean business!"

But Lara was barely fazed by Mudkip's attempts to flatten her. She ducked, gave him a peck in a soft spot, and rounded about for the victory blow. Mudkip cried out in defeat as Lara scooted back to Brendan's side.

"Is he okay?" Brendan asked.

"He'll be fine in a minute … here we go …" May pulled out a spray bottle from her pouch and started treating Mudkip's wounds. "You did great, buddy … Brendan, Lara, that was astounding. You really are a natural at this. No wonder Dad let you keep Torchic. I mean, she already seems to like you a lot."

Brendan looked down. Torchic was nuzzling against his leg.

"I bet you'd be good friends with any Pokémon, you know? So says my intuition."

"You think so? I think it'd be neat to go around meeting different Pokémon. What do you think, Lara?"

"Chik." Lara gave an approving nip at his leg with her beak.

May looked thoughtful for a moment, then eyed Brendan. "Come back to the lab with me, okay? I have an idea."

Without further ado, the friends traveled home.

"You won on your first try? That's excellent!"

Brendan and May had arrived at Professor Birch's lab, where he had been furiously typing a paper.

"Yeah, he surprised me a lot! Most people need time to handle their Pokémon like that."

"Not to mention, you're already well-seasoned at this."

Brendan just stood there, not sure of how to bring himself into the conversation.

"Yeah. I think you should ask him, Dad. He could help us a lot."

Birch pondered for a moment. "Then we agree. Let me get it ..." He walked over to a desk and picked up a small, flat, mostly-red object.

"Brendan," said Birch, "I … May and I wish to commemorate your progress. So … here."

He extended his hand, and the object. Brendan stared at it for a moment before reaching out with his own hand. He gingerly took it, still wondering what it was.

"It's a Pokédex. I ordered it for my research, but I think it would fare much better in your hands."

"A Pokédex, sir?" Brendan had heard the name before, but only vaguely recalled it.

"Yep. It's an electronic encyclopedia. It can observe Pokémon you meet or catch and record data about them. May here has one, she goes everywhere with it." A big grin crossed his face, like that of a kid in a candy store. "May here shows me new findings all the time, even if I'm out on fieldwork. She goes everywhere with her 'dex."

"Don't forget, Dad. You can't work on the Pokédex without these." May produced five Pokéballs from her pouch. She handed them to Brendan, smiling. "Consider these a starter gift."

Brendan's face was turning red from the generosity. He took the Pokéballs, saying "Thank you."

"You earned it, Brendan. Just be sure to make the most of it, okay?"

He nodded. "I will. We'll go all over the place, look for new species … It'll be fun!"

Birch looked delighted. "That's the spirit, Brendan! There are countless Pokémon out there, so what's keepin' ya?"

"Then … I should get going?"

"You bet. May should be able to catch up with you later."

Brendan looked hesitant for a split second, then said. "Alright. See you later!"

He almost ran towards the door, grinning the entire time. He was going on an adventure, for the first time in his life.

Birch turned to look at May. "What do you think, pumpkin? Think he's got the chance to figure it out?"

May nodded. "Without a doubt. If anyone can get to the bottom of it … maybe he could."

Birch looked concerned. "That's good to hear, but … maybe we should have told him. He has the right to know."

"If we tell him now, he might start to worry. Shrink away, keep Lara safe, risk no harm. I almost did the same, remember?"

"I do. … Can I ask you … one last favor then?"

"Sure."

"... Keep an eye on him. And his team. I think it would kill us if anything happened to him. His mother or father would feel the same way."

"I'll be glad to. I'll call in from time to time."

"... Thanks, May. Take care, alright?"

"Don't worry. I will."

Brendan stepped inside the living room, giving his mother an uppity hello. She was mixing up some cake batter.

"Hey there, Brendan! What's the excitement about?"

"Check it out, Mom! Professor Birch gave me a Pokémon!"

He opened the ball at once, letting Lara out. She looked up at Lily and gave a little chirp as a greeting.

Lily was pleased. "That's awfully nice of him. I guess he thinks you're ready for a shot at the big leagues, huh?"

Brendan knelt over to pet Lara. "I guess he does."

Lily looked down at them, recalling the days when she and Norman were younger. "You two look like the perfect pair. You're your father's child for sure."

At once, it occurred to her what Brendan might be planning to do.

" … I guess you're planning to head out soon, then?"

Brendan looked up, his smile somewhat lessened. "How did you know?"

Lily put down the batter bowl. "... It's what most of the kids do. As soon as they get their first Pokémon, they're ready to leave."

Brendan felt guilty now. "Mom, I -"

Lily stopped him. "I don't blame them. It's the dream of a lot of children. Some grow out of it, but some find that it's the best thing they ever did." She eyed him seriously. "I don't want you to stay cooped up here for the rest of your life, honey. There's a _world_ out there. It was always my dream that you would see it one day, like your father and I did."

Brendan hesitated. "... I don't want to just leave you alone, though."

Lily knelt to his level. "I'll be fine. I'll keep a good eye on the news. Who knows? Maybe one day I'll see you on TV, successful and famous." She gave the misty-eyed Brendan a hug. "Come on. Let's get you packed."

Three hours later, Brendan was walking north on Route 101, backpack slung over his shoulder and Lara scooting along at his side. His last words with his mom before he left were playing through his head.

_"To think that you have your own Pokémon now … Your father will be thrilled when he hears. But … please, be careful. If anything happens, just remember you can always come home."_

_ They hugged once more. Brendan was trying his hardest to not cry._

_ "Take care, honey. Go get 'em."_

_ " … Bye, Mom."_


	3. First Steps

Brendan managed to capture a Zigzagoon on the short walk to Odale. He gave "Ziggy" a chance to get introduced to Lara, who seemed to be apologizing for the attack. Brendan expressed concern, but Lara didn't seem to mind. New members were welcome. After a pit stop at Odale's Pokémon Center, the trio moseyed out west to Route 102. While it was still a lot of grass and woodlands, 102 was more … open. They romped for a while, finding aggressive wild Pokémon to practice against, and even capturing a Poochyena ("Scotty", Brendan called him). Oddly, Scotty was fairly jovial about the whole thing.

The team quickly arrived in Petalburg City. The Pokémon Center was in sight, so they rested there for a while from the training. Brendan, though, was eager to visit his father's gym, so before long, the team was in their Pokéballs and Brendan was walking around the small city, looking for the building.

They did not have to search long. Pokémon Gyms had a distinctive look that Brendan knew quite well. A sign on the outside read "Petalburg City Pokémon Gym. Leader: Norman – A man in pursuit of power!"

_That's my dad, alright …,_ Brendan thought. He stepped inside, silently praying that he would be able to see his old man.

Brendan did not expect to see such a plain-looking entrance hall. It was small, wooden, plain. Devoid of anything like the grandoise gyms he kept seeing on TV in Johto. But Brendan was not disappointed for long, for in the room, in his familiar maroon jacket, was Norman, practicing with a Pokémon that resembled a giant muscular sloth – his Slaking – and making notes.

"Dad!" Brendan called. "Dad, it's me! Brendan!"

Norman suddenly looked toward Brendan, dropping a notepad he held.

"Brendan," he whispered. "Is it really … ?"

"Yeah, Dad. It's me."

Norman grinned. " … Well, what are you waitin' for?"

Brendan lit up like a Christmas tree. He charged toward his dad, eager to greet him like old times. He nearly tackled the man in an attempt to give a greeting hug.

"Hey there, junior!" Norman returned the hug. "How's it been! Your mom and you move in alright?"

"It went pretty well! We've been getting to know the neighbors and all that."

"That's great to hear!"

"I missed you, Dad. I missed you so much."

Norman knew that already, but hearing the words like that touched a nerve. His son hadn't exactly been top priority for the past few years, and now he began to question why he let it get that way.

"I missed you, too."

It didn't matter now. His family was in Hoenn. They lived pretty close to Petalburg. He and Lily –

"Where's your mother, son?"

The jump in topic jarred Brendan a little, but he shrugged it off. "She's back at home."

"Then … how did you – Oh," he said, eying Brendan's equipment a little better. "You're training Pokémon now? Congrats, son."

"Thanks!"

"Guess you're aiming to be a trainer like myself, huh? I look forward to seeing you progress."

"Yeah … So do I. Professor Birch and May -"

Someone opened the front door. In stepped a young boy, right around Brendan's age. He looked ill, weak, as though the place he ought to be for a while was a hospital. He had a mass of greenish hair, and a wore a strikingly white plaid shirt.

"E … excuse me … Mr. Norman, sir?"

"Afternoon, Wally. What can I do for you?"

"Well, I … I'd like to get a Pokémon, please …"

"I see," said Norman. "Anything going on?"

Wally walked over to the father and son. "I'm going to stay with my relatives, in Verdanturf, and I'm worried it'll be lonely … So, I wanted to take a Pokémon for a friend. But … I've never caught one before. I … I don't know how."

"I see," Norman said. "I have just the thing for you. Here's a Pokéball …"

Brendan tried to join in. " … and here's a Pokémon." He let Ziggy out of his ball, who let out a soft noise, stretching.

"Ziggy, this is Wally. Want to help him catch his own Pokémon?"

Ziggy was eager to oblige. Wally's smile was of indescribable joy.

Norman was smiling too. "There you have it, Wally. We're behind you all the way. Go for it!"

"I'll come with you, if you want," Brendan offered.

"Would you? Thank you so much … !"

"Off you go, then," insisted Norman.

Brendan had led Wally to Route 102. They started looking around.

"... and they usually hide in the tall grass when people come near. If you get too close, they'll jump you and try to fight or scare you off."

"Don't talk like that, I'm nervous already …"

"Here we are," said Brendan, leading them into some waist-high grass. "Let's hope you find one."

"I hope I can do it right … Woah!"

A small, alien-esque creature with green hair was growling at them from the ground (though Brendan thought it sounded too cute to really be a growl).

"W... what now?"

"Ask Ziggy to fight it. Don't try to catch it yet, it'll be too strong, and will break out."

"Okay …. Ziggy, go! Tackle the Pokémon!"

Ziggy heard the orders before he even emerged from the ball. He lunged at the Ralts, smacking it upside the head. Wally cringed at the sound of its pained cry, but pressed on.

"Do it again … please." Ziggy did, though he held back a little. The Ralts' growling began to sound more like pleading; it would not last much longer.

"That's good, Ziggy! Brendan … this is when I throw the ball, right?" Brendan gave a nod. "Well …. here goes!"

Wally tossed the Pokéball as though it took all his strength to get it to the Ralts. It hit Ralts on the head, then opened up and started pulling it in with the familiar streak of light, and finally bounced on the ground, wobbling in place.

Thrice it wobbled, as though the Ralts was trying desperately to escape. Then, a click – it was caught.

Wally stared at it in brief disbelief. "I … I did it. It's my Pokémon!"

"Thank you. Thank you both for helping me with this … You're the only reason I have Ralts here."

"No trouble at all, was it, Ziggy?"

Ziggy just purred, smiling.

"I'm glad everything worked out, Wally. Good luck to you with your visit."

"Yeah. I promise, I'll take good care of Ralts too."

"You'll be just fine, Wally. I'm sure of it."

"... Oh no! My mom's probably waiting on me! I'd better go! Thanks again Mr. Namron! And Brendan!"

"Bye, Wally!" Brendan called after him as he left.

"Wally's a good kid, Brendan. You'd like him, I'm sure. He's been badly wanting someone to play with, but most of the kids want little to do with him. He's too … frail, to put it bluntly."

Brendan sighed. "Right after I got here, too … You think I'll see him again?"

"I don't see why not. If you're going to get stronger in your training, the best thing to do is to travel around, work your way up. If you want my advice, I suggest you head for Rustboro City. It's off to the west and then north through Petalburg Woods. You'll find Roxanne, the local Gym Leader, there. Think you can handle it?"

" … Yeah. I think so."

"Good to hear. If you get good enough, one day you'll be able to battle me for a League badge."

"One day?" Brendan asked. "I can't now?"

" … Can I be honest, son? … You're … not ready. We're too strong for you right now. But, if you can earn four badges from other gyms …. then we'll battle. Not a minute sooner, understood?"

Brendan steeled his resolve. "Understood, Dad. I can't wait, but … yeah. We'll do it. We'll beat you one day."

"That's my boy. … Oh, and … one more thing. There's something about Hoenn you need to know, okay?"

"What would that be?" Brendan wondered.

A voice that was not Norman's responded, "Hoenn's cursed."

Brendan and Norman looked worriedly at the door. "May?" Brendan called.

On cue, May opened the door and stepped in.

"Afternoon, Norman."

"May, this isn't exactly appropriate … just barging in like this … " Norman said.

"I was going to tell him later, but … Well, your dad was about to say it and you have the right to know anyway, so here goes." She motioned to Norman to speak.

Norman looked confused. "You know the story around it better than I do. Since you're here, I suggest you tell it."

"... Alright. Brendan, as was just said, Hoenn is cursed."

" … What's the curse, May?"

"Well, you know how Pokémon are supposed to only battle 'till they pass out? How they're still alive and well, just too tired to fight? Well …. that's not quite how it works in Hoenn."

" … I'm listening."

"If a Pokémon faints in Hoenn … they don't faint. They die."

"What?"

"Yeah. Supposedly it has something to do with this ancient conflict and the loser put a curse on this region. Who knows what happened or why."

"But …. then, that means that …. No …."

" … I'm sorry, son," said Norman. "I wish you had known from the beginning. I didn't mean to get your hopes up."

"It's your pick, Brendan," May added. "You can take the risk or go home."

Brendan stood still for a moment, silent, then released his other two Pokémon in front of him.

"You guys heard all that, right?" They murmured in agreement; they had.

"I want to ask the three of you … raise your hand … or foot … if you'd rather go home."

Nobody moved a muscle.

"... All for taking the challenge?"

Ziggy, Lara, and Scotty all raised a paw or talon in the air, letting out a cry of joy.

"Next stop: Rustboro! Let's go, everyone! Dad … May … see you later."

"Bye, son!"

May did not follow them out. Norman turned to face her.

"To be blunt with you, miss, that was very rude. We haven't seen each other in several years before today."

"I know, sir, and I apologize. But I was worried you'd … soften the explanation for him. You know full well that he has what it takes to get strong enough to battle you, maybe even beat you, and if he does, that means half of your friends will be killed."

"I know. The team and I discussed it the other day. We agreed it was for the best. For all the Pokémon and people on Hoenn who live to see it be broken."

" …. I'm sorry. We don't know of any other way. If there was a way to do it without more bloodshed, then I …."

"I have faith in my son, May. He'll do what's right. He wouldn't let anyone die ….

"I hope."


	4. Oppression

**Four – Oppression**

"Check this out, everyone! It's the beach!"

Three excited Pokémon were hot on the heels of their trainer as they all descended a grassy hill into the sand below. Lara started raking the sand with her claws, burying them into the cooler sand beneath. Scotty started digging up holes, barking joyfully. Ziggy was content to stay next to Brendan.

They sat for a while. The sound of the sea was quite relaxing, and for a few minutes, Brendan forgot that he ever had any troubles. But time, of course, would not wait forever. Brendan's mind returned to the beach when Ziggy started tugging on his pants leg. Brendan gave him a pat on the head, and gathered the team.

"There are trainers on these routes; there's gonna be a lot of fighting on the way to Rustboro. But the more you fight, the stronger you get. We can do this."

They left the beach and made a beeline for the woods, encountering and defeating a handful of trainers on the way. Within minutes, they were marching into Petalburg Woods.

It was dark under the canopy, predictably; with lots of thick grass covering the ground. Occasionally, they ran into a bug catcher or two, who were inevitably eager to try out their untrained collections in battle. Brendan couldn't help but wince at how fast their deaths came. He was thankful that they didn't seem to mind much. Bugs were, after all, a dime a dozen in the woods. That wasn't to say they had no value, however. Brendan decided to add a Wurmple to the team, whom he named Padfoot.

The trek through the woods wasn't all about bugs, though.

_What's a man in a business suit doing here?_

Said man bore the look of a scatterbrain. He was glancing around, murmuring things like "Not a one to be found ..." before spotting Brendan. "Hello?"

"Afternoon, sir." Brendan sheepishly came out from his poor choice of a spying spot. "Are you looking for something?"

"A Shroomish, good lad. I love that Pokémon. Have you seen any?"

"None that I'm aware of. Maybe we should ask him?"

Brendan pointed beyond the stranger, where another man had just emerged from the trees. He had a very thuggish build, and wore a red-and-black costume that fit the bill. A symbol resembling a volcano was printed on his hood.

"_There_ you are! You just _had_ to dawdle in these filthy woods … You knew I was waiting. Tough luck, Devon researcher. You wouldn't come to me, so I'm coming to you!"

The man rushed the Devon employee, giving him a stellar one-two before receiving a faceful of fire. Lara had jumped into the fray.

"Grrrrr … Hand over those papers, rat, or I pull out the big guns."

The Devon man had no such plans. He dashed behind Brendan, ducking as though the boy would shield him from attack.

"You're a trainer, right kid? You gotta help me!"

"What a coward," the grunt growled. "Step aside, kid. I wouldn't want you to get _hurt_."

Brendan held his ground. Lara stood poised, ready for another attack.

"Fine, then. Just a little warning. No one crosses Team Magma. Not even a kid!" He called a familiar-looking Pokemon out of a ball. "Poochy! Sic 'em!"

"Lara! Give it a new coat! Ember!"

Lara shot fire from her mouth, setting the dog aflame for a few seconds before it wore off. The best it could do in retaliation was a brisk tackle.

"Finish it!"

Lara lept high, bringing her talons down on the Poochyena for a fierce Scratch. The dog whimpered in pain, breathing its last.

"Poochy! No!" The grunt ran over to his fallen comrade, but it was too late. Poochy lay motionless. The grunt turned to face Brendan.

"... You have some nerve kid, meddling like this. Time for Plan B. Rustboro …"

And, before the others had any time to react, the grunt fled at top speed.

The frightened Devon employee slowly got up behind Brendan.

"Thank you, kid. That was too close for comfort. To think if he had robbed me of those papers ..."

"If they're that important, sir, you should carry a Pokémon. It's not safe in general without one."

"Eheheheh … too late to go back on that now, lad. I'd better get to -" His face fell. "That thug said something about Rustboro, didn't he?"

Brendan nodded. "You don't think … another theft?"

The man went pale. "Oh no – ! I can't be wasting time!"

With that, he dashed off, chucking something into Brendan's hands as he did so. "GreatBallThanks."

Brendan studied the object. It was the size and weight of a Pokéball, but the top half was blue and there were some pink spots.

"A Great Ball, huh?"

Brendan was glad to be back on an open field. He let his team out for a stretch as they walked along the dirt path; they weren't far from Rustboro now. They encountered a few trainers here and there who were eager to toughen up their teams. Careful to avoid killing anyone, Brendan proposed the "uncle" system for battles. It worked some of the time, but too often an opponent would forgo the signal and fight 'till they had nothing left – a bittersweet show of devotion. Brendan felt a bit guiltier with every team his group defeated, even while he was glad to see his new friends grow stronger.

Before long, the group had crossed a bridge over a pond. The city was so close, but two young twins (Mia and Gina, as they called themselves) intercepted Brendan and challenged him to a double battle – a contest where each side used two Pokemon at once. Brendan agreed – what better way to finish a string of battles with something a little different?

The match was to be two-versus-two; the first to defeat two Pokemon, regardless of reserves, was the winner. The twins sent out a Seedot – which resembled a giant acorn – and a Lotad – which looked something like a bug with a huge lilypad on its head. Brendan sent in Padfoot and Scotty, who seemed eager to get some extra practice in.

The battle started off slowly. Seedot kept using Bide (Brendan knew better than to attack it then), and Lotad kept kicking up a lot of dirt, spraying sand into Scotty's eyes. Eventually, Padfoot managed to take an opening and was suddenly all over the Lotad, dishing out all the damage he could. Scotty was trying hard to keep up, but kept ambling around blindly. When the dust settled, Lotad was out cold, Padfoot was panting a little, and Brendan was rubbing the sand out of a distressed Scotty's eyes.

"Seedot, Bide!" Gina yelled. The overgrown nut had taken a few hits during the scuffle, but it was clearly a long way from going down. Brendan gave his fighters a look.

"You think you can beat him now?"

The response was two confident nods.

"Go for it, then." Brendan smiled. He watched as they pummeled the Seedot with everything they had, certain it would give the Uncle signal any second now ….

But the Seedot, in its Bide state, kept turning redder, and it wouldn't stop. Brendan's confident grin gave way to complete horror. Bide was about to end.

"Now, Seedot! Release it!"

The Seedot lunged forth, right where Padfoot was momentarily resting. He took the hit with full force, flying up into the air and landing several feet away. Brendan looked petrified, waiting for Padfoot to stir, before running over to his worm's side.

"Padfoot! … Padfoot, get up … !"

"... good job, Seedot …. Mister, are you okay?"

Brendan wasn't sure. He stood up, cusping Padfoot in his hands, not realizing he was still breathing …

"... Yeah, I'll be fine. Want to finish this?"

"Sure! Seedot, Bide!"

"Scotty, Tackle!"

Seedot lost its color almost as soon as it got it. The match was over.

"... That was a good match, you two. I … enjoyed it."

"We did too. Sorry about your worm, though."

Brendan tried to smile. "It's okay." He looked at Padfoot. "It's okay …."

Scotty was whimpering a little. He nudge up to Brendan, who lowered Padfoot to the ground – and then jumped.

Padfoot had started glowing, so bright that Brendan had to shield his eyes. He thought he heard Mia say "What's happening, Mister?" but was too stunned to give a reply. The light soon faded, and Brendan opened his eyes again. Scotty was barking excitedly at a ball of silk where Padfoot laid.

"... He's alive," Brendan murmured. "He's evolved!"

The remainder of the trip was a lot merrier.


End file.
